Attracting visitors from USA, Ireland and many parts of New Zealand, has put the finishing touches on the Winton Garden Club's hosting its first-ever South Island National and club 25th anniversary spring flower shows.

The dual shows, both at Central Southland College, will present a blaze of spring colours mounted by some top exhibitors from many parts of the country this Saturday and Sunday.

Club members are delighted with the enthusiastic response to hosting the South Island National daffodil show.

Such shows, authorised by the National Daffodil Society of NZ, are prestigious events held each year in both islands.

This is the Society's 81st South Island National show and follows the North Island National show in Hamilton last week.

The Winton club sought approval to celebrate its 25th anniversary in style, and won the right to stage the major event after establishing a reputation for quality presentations.

According to the society's June newsletter Winton "is now one of the biggest rural community shows in the country" .

Big or not, staging a national show was something else, co-organiser Joan Jordan of Winton said.

Local volunteers have helped club members face the big dual challenge. To stage such an event the club called on allied clubs in Dunedin and Te Anau for help with the extra equipment.

A container load from Dunedin has gone a long way to help as have supplies from Te Anau, which has also had experience in staging large spring shows, Mrs Jordan said.

Other equipment has come from other parts of Southland.

Judging by experts is held in two tiers with the second panel reviewing the preliminary decision if required.

While the major show will grab the headlines in the college assembly hall, the club's annual display will cater for enthusiasts in the adjoining CSC gymnasium.

Contestants have numerous classes to choose from in the open, amateur and novice sections.

The club's aim is to encourage as many exhibitors as possible to enter, with special classes "not scheduled" or "any other flowering shrub or tree".

Other sections include cut flowers, flowering shrubs and trees, containers and pot plants, dwarf, miniature, alpine and rock plants, floral art and outdoor plants.

The children have 12 competition classes to display their creativity.

These include classes for flowers, animals made from vegetables, cards, 3D daffodil collages and illustrations.

- © Fairfax NZ News